MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 1 ROMA 0
Posted on: Thu 23 Oct 2008

It wasn't the beautiful game Felipe Scolari had suggested but it was three points that put Chelsea on the verge of the knockout stages once more.

In a largely stagnant and tactical game against a Roma side more solid than their form this season suggested, it was a second-half header from captain fantastic John Terry that split the sides. An appropriate moment by Chelsea's stand-out player on the night, 24 hours after Scolari declared himself one of his captain's biggest fans.

Prior to kick-off, the manager's hand had been strengthened by further players discharged from the medical department, Cech able to return and Carvalho starting for the first time since the Man United game four weeks ago.

Deco also began the match with one of Saturday's stars, Juliano Belletti, making way. Otherwise it was the team that began at Boro.

Roma's all-time highest goalscorer and captain Franceseco Totti was selected to play as the central striker, the visitors opting for a 4-3-3 rather then their usual 4-2-3-1 and it was a shape that saw them share an early stage of the game that passed with little to stay in the memory.

On eight minutes, Mexes cleared Bridge's scuffed cross poorly and it fell promisingly to Lampard 18 yards out - but to Roma's relief and the crowd's disappointment, his returned shot was within the reach of Doni in goal.

Roma, quite ridiculously, attempted to beat Petr Cech from 45 yards with a free-kick, De Rossi's over-ambitious attempt flying well, well wide.

The Chelsea keeper was called into action properly on 20 minutes, sliding to the edge of the area to collect the ball as Vucinic threatened to run through the middle of the Chelsea backline.

Mikel similarly broke a minute later and was felled by the outstretched leg of Mexes, enough for Greek referee Kyros Vassaras to flash the first yellow card.

From 25 yards out, Deco rolled the free-kick to Lampard whose low trajectory shot skimmed the outside of the joint between post and bar.

Kalou let loose an angled drive on 27 minutes but it never looked likely to trouble Doni.

Malouda then became a 29th minute booking for a pull at Taddei's shirt midway inside the opposition half.

Still Chelsea could not maintain anything like sustained pressure on the Shed End goal. Carvalho raised the level of the game with a couple of superbly-timed challenges and Scolari could be seen on the touchline signalling to his players to keep calm; to not rush into mistakes.

On 35 minutes some serious defending was needed. Totti's clever ball opened a shooting chance for Brighi, but Terry's perfectly-timed slide from a yard back knocked the ball away. Brilliant!

Deco backheeled for a Lampard shot on 37 minutes but the contact was not as he would have liked and the ball bounced wide.

With five minutes to go before the break, the Chelsea bench were up and protesting as Deco was felled five yards outside the area but there was no whistle. Anger would have been even greater had Roma's quick break ended with the ball in the Blues' net, but again Terry slid in to quell danger, Taddei the one dispossessed.

Deco is tackled

It had been a disappointing half. Scolari's response was to bring on Belletti for Malouda for the second period, the Brazilian to play wide right with Kalou moving to the left. The wing combinations had not been slick in the opening period.

Belletti's first two touches were greeted by a roar of 'shoot' from the crowd. His third was indeed a dig from 30 yards, but it cleared the bar with ease.

There looked to be more certainty, more belief in Chelsea's move in the early minutes after the break. Anelka chased a Kalou chip into the area and was not far behind Doni in the race to the ball.

Roma lost their influential Italian international midfielder Aquilani to a hamstring strain on the hour, Perrotta his replacement, and within seconds of the switch, a Lampard free-kick reached Kalou whose header was saved on the line.

On 67 minutes, Mikel connected well to a Belletti pass but Anelka inadvertently deflected it behind.

The game had dropped back into the doldrums, a 71st minute Terry booking for catching Totti in the centre circle a rare incident.

Kalou was replaced by Franco Di Santo with 14 minutes remaining on the clock and ran straight into the Roma area for a Lampard corner from the left.

The ball never reached as far as the Argentine's run, instead dropping to Terry at the near post to turn it across Doni and into the net with a glancing header. He briefly stumbled and looked injured, a typically cruel blow for these past two seasons, but after some moments, JT emerged to run back beaming. All was well with the world.

There was a brief bout of wrestling between Terry and Mexes, Roma's dominant defender on the night, as the teams prepared for a Lampard free-kick. The ref attempted to calm it but Lamps decided on his own course of action, bypassing the penalty area action and going straight for goal from 30-plus yards out, Doni stretching to tip over.

Panucci, who had spent the game covering behind Mexes, was booked for a foul and a later mistake by the former Chelsea defender was leapt upon by Lampard who was one challenge away from dribbling through for a second goal.

That would have flattered the performance, if not his own typically-committed contribution.

Bordeaux's win over Cluj by the same scoreline leaves Chelsea three points clear at the top of Group A. Qualification can be assured in Rome in two weeks' time.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry ©, Bridge; Mikel; Kalou (Di Santo 76), Deco, Lampard, Malouda (Belletti h-t); Anelka (Ferreira 90+1).
Scorer Terry 76.
Booked Malouda 29, Terry 71.

Roma (4-3-3): Doni; Cicinho, Mexes, Panucci ©, Riise (Tonetto 71); De Rossi, Aquilani (Perrotta 60) Brighi; Taddei (Menez 80), Totti, Vucinic.
Booked Mexes 23, Panucci 84.